


Time and Tide

by calliopes_muse



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-04-17
Packaged: 2018-03-22 05:24:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3716743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calliopes_muse/pseuds/calliopes_muse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On Tumblr someone asked if there was a Swan Queen Titanic AU fic, and it seems that is missing from our amazing list. Needless to say, I love both SQ and Titanic. Jack and Rose are one of my few heterosexual ships, and I love how their story works for any pair of star-crossed lovers. I just couldn't let it pass, feeling so inspired, without writing this fic. I can't promise I'll be fast about it. I have tons of other responsibilities on my plate right now, but I'll work on this as fast as I can and try to make this one have its own unique spin.</p><p>Cast of characters:<br/>Emma is Jack<br/>Regina is Rose<br/>Ruby is Fabrizio<br/>Gold is Cal<br/>Cora is Ruth</p><p>Others to be named later (I'm open to suggestions. ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please be aware that this story will follow the basic premise of the Titanic movie where Rose was betrothed unwillingly to Cal. In this case that would be Regina to Gold. I will not be showing anything happening sexually between them, but it doesn't mean Gold won't be acting like the asshat Cal was in the movie. I thought I should forewarn readers though. Also, as far as I know, I don't plan to have TweedleDee and TweedleDum in this fic, unless it's to give them a bit part where I can slide them down the deck as the ship sinks and have them slam against the bloiler

Chapter 1

In the distance, the smoke stacks of the sparkling new ocean liner, Titanic, rose into the air. The noise of the docks was deafening as cars, people, and haulers scrambled back and forth to load cargo and board for the Titanic’s maiden voyage.

But in a dank alleyway surrounded by a mix of nationalities, Emma Swan shook the set of dice in her right hand with determination. She knew she’d lose the hand. She wasn’t worried about that. She was pretty sure the die were loaded; she’d played enough of these back street games to know how they went by now.   
The language barrier kept the game far simpler than usual. The only rule was that she had to roll higher than a seven to win the bet, and she only got ten rolls. This was her ninth. No pressure.

A whistle was being blown indicating that only fifteen minutes were left until launch. Emma swallowed around the lump in her throat.

The group of men around her were becoming agitated at her hesitation. It was what she wanted though. She played with their emotions as much as their dwindling pockets. The more she waited, the more money from the tense crowd was thrown on the pile. 

The group was being jostled around as onlookers jockeyed for position and what little light there was in the alleyway was dimming. The grumbling was getting louder and one rough hand jabbed at her back making her fall forward. In the two years that she had wandered around Europe, she had surprisingly only picked up a few words in the local languages. What wasn’t surprising was that nearly all of them were curse words! Which is what she heard now. The Russian word for bastard. German for cocksucker. Close, but no cigar, buddy! Emma smirked to herself. And she was pretty sure she heard something in Italian about doing something gross to her mother. That one made her blood boil, and she nearly jumped to her feet.

Before she could hardly move though a firm hand clamped down on her shoulder and an even firmer voice growled in her ear, lowered an octave for effect, “Just roll the dice, Emmett.”

Ruby’s anxiety was showing. Her dark eyes were shifting restlessly cautiously watching the mood of the small group around them change. Emma could feel it too. She quickly rolled the dice to distract the men – the two beat up white die bouncing off the moldy and piss-stained wall and then settling on the pile of money and two 3rd class Titanic tickets. A three and a two.

“Damn it!” Emma stomped her foot and turned to Ruby as the men around them cheered. More money got tossed on the pile. They were certain that there was no way this scrawny little baby-faced boy could win, and all of them would be richer for it once they divvied up the pot of money.

Emma shook her head at her friend, adjusting her hat holding back her long blonde hair, “I’m sorry, Ru. I know you were ready to get back to America to see your Granny.”  
Ruby clamped a hand on Emma’s shoulder and took Emma’s hand in her own, a knowing glint in her eye. Emma felt the sharp edges of the die digging into her palm. “You still have one roll left. Don’t give up hope yet.”

Emma nodded. “You’re right. There’s always hope.” She turned back to the group of cocky and swaggering men with a sigh, “Alright, boys, you ready to finish this so you can get your winnings?”

They didn’t understand a word that she said, but when she kneeled down to shake the dice for a roll, her body language said it all. Several smiled at each other and a couple rubbed their hands together anticipating their winnings in their hands.

Emma snatched up the two dice on the ground with her hand that held the two Ruby had given her. She quickly cupped them over her face and blew, as many do in an act of good luck, and transferred the old dice to her other hand, leaving the ones Ruby had given her as the ones she’d use.

“Alright, this is it! Come on, baby! Let’s go to America!”

The dice jumped from Emma’s hand. One bounce on the ground, then one to the wall, another to the ground, several rolls and a sudden stop. A very sudden stop. A five. Emma held her breath as the other die settled. And a three.

She glanced up to see all the men looking down with their mouths open. Some had cigarettes dangling on their bottom lips. It was kind of funny. Really funny actually.

She grabbed as much of the money and tickets in one swipe and jumped to her feet with a hoot. 

“WOOHOO!!!! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!” She turned to Ruby, who looked a little pleased but kind of shocked that it actually worked, a slow smirk spreading across her face. “Did you see that, Ru? Didya? We’re going home!”

“YOU!” One of the men bellowed the only English word he knew. Both women turned to see nothing but broad shoulders and anger coming at them.

“Em?” Ruby asked uncertainly.

Suddenly, a fist came flying in from the left shocking both women and another man stood over the first burly one yelling in Russian. If Emma remembered correctly, they were the two that lost the tickets. 

A horn blew from the steamer causing Emma and Ruby to look at each other in panic. “We gotta go,” Ruby gave Emma a shove to the shoulder.

They took off running, tucking what money they could into their pockets and looking for a shortcut to get on board. When they saw a crewman not far from deck inside an open door, they handed over their papers. 

“Have you been through inspection?” The young man said in a clipped English accent.

“We’re Americans. Come on, buddy. We don’t have lice.” Emma would have taken off her cap and given the puppy dog eyes that always seem to work on men when she needs it, but she had a feeling being dressed as a man wouldn’t help her right now. 

She remembered something that had been thrown into the stack of winnings and pulled it out of her pocket. She handed it over to the crewman. He turned over the gleaming gold watch, which had probably been stolen by the guy tossing it in the pot, but that wasn’t the point, admiring the detail. The crewman looked around to see if a supervisor was watching and when he thought it was clear gave a nod. Emma and Ruby quickly leapt across the short distance before the crewman’s mind could be changed.

Emma bumped Ruby’s shoulder as they navigated the long, narrow hallways looking for their rooms. The tall brunette looked over at Emma, “We sure were lucky to get out of that scrape.”

“Luck had nothing to do with it, Rubes. You were amazing. Thank you,” Emma smiled at her sincerely.

“You’re my best friend, Em. That’s what friends do.”

Emma paused in the congested hallway and looked around. “Well, friend, can you help me find our rooms? I’m completely lost.”

Ruby rolled her eyes with a sigh. “I swear, you would still be stuck in that park in Florence if I hadn’t been there.” She looked at their room number and then the sign on the wall, turned and began walking down a side hallway, “Come on.”

“That guy gave me bum directions. That wasn’t my fault,” Emma groused. 

Ruby turned left. “No, you just can’t follow directions. But that’s okay. That’s why I’m here.”

She paused as Ruby looked up at the numbers on the wall and then kept walking. “At least you’re good at something,” Emma grumbled.

“You’re good at plenty, Em. Here we are,” Ruby said, pointing to the number on the plain white door.

“Like what?” Emma growled, feeling truly down in the dumps now, as she pushed the door open. “Oh wait, let me guess. Stealing? Being a thief? Maybe I want to be more than that, Ruby.”

The women waltzed into the tiny room that was barely big enough to hold two twin bunk beds and a wash basin. Looking back at them were two men as big as the two Russians from the alley. “Where’s Sven?”

Emma looked at Ruby, shrugging. “Maybe we can at least have a conversation with them.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to get further with this chapter, but it's been a busy week. I don't want to be one of THOSE writers who drop the ball. I do love writing this fic SO much! There are just not enough hours in the day and not enough energy in my body to do all I need to. Hope you all understand. I'll do what I can when I can. *hugs*

The elegant Model-T bounced along the cobblestones of Southampton’s streets as it navigated the increasingly clogged roads as thousands of sightseers and travelers made their way toward the pier. Everyone was there to see the launch of the magnificent new ocean liner, The Titanic. 

Regina though made a point of staring with disinterest out the window, her eyes not really focused on anything, or anyone, in particular. Her mind wandered to the future, to what waited for her on the other side of the Atlantic.

A life, not her own, with the man beside her. Mr. Rudolph Gold. His name was his life. It was all you need to know about him. He was far older than her, more fitting for her mother to marry, but he was expected to have heirs. That was something her mother couldn’t provide any longer. But that was of no concern to Regina’s mother. What was of concern was that Mr. Gold was incredibly wealthy and from a long line of diamond miners with a strong base in London, a foothold in India, and an eye on sales expansion in the States. Marriage and children would give him a reason to settle overseas in New York and add a few more zeroes to his already substantial bank account. A bank account that both she and Regina would have ample access to.

A heavy weight pressed down on Regina as she tried to think of something more cheerful. Her eyes drifted out in front of her to the outline of the ship with its smoke lightly rolling up from the stacks welcoming the passengers. It wasn’t her first time to travel by steamer. In fact, she had traveled the Atlantic many times with her family, but unless she agreed to this pact her mother had made for her, this very well could be her last voyage overseas.

With a deep breath, she took it all in – the sting of the salty air, the muskiness of the working class huddling close together in the streets outside the car, the warm April sun giving a surprising feeling of hope to Regina’s sagging spirit. There was a depth and richness to it that Regina never got to experience in the cloistered tea rooms of the various mansions she lived in or visited around the world. When she breathed in, she could almost taste life – thick and gritty on her tongue. 

So much of Regina’s life was predetermined, even her mother had decided to whom she would be betrothed, but there was something in this moment, looking at the Titanic, that made Regina’s heart soar. The feeling was so unlike her. She hadn’t been allowed to feel this freedom by her mother since she was a child, since her father had passed – the man who had taken her riding on horseback almost daily - and the money had slowly dwindled away with her mother’s extravagant taste and need to keep up with the rich and famous. The horses had been sold, even Regina’s beloved Rocinate, diamonds and jewels auctioned off, family heirlooms gone. There was very little left to sell, except for her daughter. There was always her daughter, and now her mother was cashing in. So, her mother kept Regina on a tight leash, grooming her like a show horse to become the perfect wife and heiress to a future millionaire’s, or preferably a billionaire’s fortune.

And like the proverbial tethered and caged animal, Regina felt the need to break free.

The jalopy came to a jolting stop only a few feet away from the first class passenger ramp to enter the Titanic. Regina rolled back her shoulders and schooled her expression into a show of indifference as she angled her head out of the back seat doorway to keep her large hat from bumping the sides. She held out her hand needlessly as the chauffeur took her hand to guide her down; Rudolph having already moved ahead a few steps leaving her behind. Regina’s mother had sidled up next to him as they looked up at the ship with admiration.

“It doesn’t look any bigger than the Mauretania,” Regina drolled as she stepped past them.

Rudolph glanced over at the older, mirror image of his wife-to-be. “Your daughter is far too difficult to impress, Cora.”

Cora chuckled without amusement, tucking away her dissatisfaction for a discussion with her daughter for later. She followed her daughter up the steps, leaving the men to unload their bags.

Rudolph tipped his hat to his assistant. “I leave it in your care, good sir.”

With a nod, the elderly man turned and efficiently began ordering the bellmen on what to unload from the main car and the three following luggage cars. This wasn’t his first job working for wealthy clients, and he came with superlative recommendations. He knew exactly what they expected, and if he did this job well, his reward would be plentiful and hopefully rewarding in the long-term once they docked in New York.

******

Emma and Ruby felt the rumble beneath their feet as the enormous ship’s engines began to churn deep below the deck. Following the crowds, they raced out toward the ship’s aft to wave goodbye to the crowds gathered on the docks.

“Who are you waving at?” Ruby chuckled.

“Nobody. That’s not the point!”

They simply laughed and kept waving, caught up in the joy of the moment as hundreds of people from all walks of life, speaking in tongues they had never even heard before, acted as if they all were one big family. 

Slowly, the ship edged away from the dock guided by the tiny barge ships that are nothing but oversized engines. Once fully into the channel, the propellers of the engines were started and the Titanic was on its way with a slight jerk.

Emma smiled brightly over at her friend. She hadn’t felt this carefree and hopeful in a long time. While she had loved her time in Europe, home was calling to her and she was ready to get back, to feel the dirt on her family’s farm between her toes and work up a sweat from a hard day’s work in the field. 

She slapped Ruby on the arm. “Come on!” Taking off in a flash, Emma raced away from her lanky friend.

“Hey!”

“Slow poke!” Emma yelled back teasingly.

Both women held onto their newsboy caps to keep the wind from blowing them off as they ran past their fellow passengers. Fortunately, most of the wealthy passengers that would have complained were still below decks, certainly unpacking their unending piles of goods necessary for travel and resting from their arduous travel thus far.

“Those are fighting words, Emma Swan!” Ruby growled as she hurdled a set of lounge chairs and passed her blonde friend. A few more hurdles and Ruby bounded proudly into the foredeck’s railing, Emma bumping her as she came to a stop. 

Emma pointed out to the vast expanse of ocean. “We’re on our way, Rubes. We’re heading home.”

Ruby looked over her shoulder at her friend and smiled. “And from that goofy grin on your face, I’d say you’re happy about this.”

“Are you kidding?” Emma leapt up onto the railing, bracing herself against the sturdy rigging. “I feel like…I’M THE KING OF THE WORLD!!!!”

Ruby covered her face with her hands. “Oh Christ. I can’t take you anywhere. You’re so embarrassing!”

Emma was so amused by Ruby’s embarrassment that she snorted and added to it with big ol’ cowboyish “Yeehaw” that drew quite a few stares as Ruby knocked Emma off the railing and scurried away. Emma followed her friend, laughing, “What, Rubes? What did I do?”


End file.
